People say that there are two sides to every coin, which is true; just about every good thing has a negative aspect that accompanies it. Antidepressants are an established treatment method preference for individuals with mild or intense depressive disorders. Antidepressant medication, when used as prescribed by your medical professional, can be a heaven-sent means to fix some of your depression symptoms. The vast majority of mental health experts establish that whenever depression is severe, prescribed medication tends to be helpful—even life-saving.

Recent research studies have, however, raised concerns about the level of effectiveness of these medicinal drugs; they nowadays are unsuccessful for many individuals. A significant U.S. Government study announced in 2006 indicated that as little as 40-45 percent of people turn out symptom-free on antidepressants. Those people that sustained the symptoms did so, even after taking two different medicinal drugs. At the same time, many who do improve with medication fall back into depression within a short time despite sticking to drug treatment.

Additional research has revealed that the benefits associated with depressive disorder relief drugs have often been exaggerated, with some researchers concluding that, in the case of mild to moderate depression, antidepressants are only slightly more proficient when compared to placebos. A placebo is a substance without pharmacological effect, which is usually given to satisfy a patient who supposes it is of medicinal value.

Despite the fact that antidepressants might not exactly overcome depression symptoms, they are capable of scaling down your symptoms. You nevertheless, ought not to pay any attention to the respectable incontrovertible fact that medication on its own is not adequate; one would need to change their lifestyle. In addition to cases of inefficacy, there are a number of side-effects and even dangers imposed by a lot of these drugs.

Please keep it in mind that this article does not hope to dissuade you from seeking aid from antidepressants. Plenty of antidepressants are available, and the likelihood is that you’ll be able to discover one that works favorably to suit your needs. It is essential still that you make an effort to be well-informed when it comes to antidepressants; with this, you can easily weigh the benefits against the potential issues and consequently make an enlightened and personal choice about what’s perfect for you.

Do some antidepressants perform “better” than others? This has constantly posted a debatable topic. Each and every category of antidepressant has an effect on a great number of neurotransmitters in comparatively different ways; that being said one probably ought to be more effective. Take, for instance, a comparison between tianeptine, a drug that boosts the reuptake of serotonin; and tranylcypromine, which hinders the breakdown of the neurotransmitters serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine. It would be odd for tianeptine to work exactly as well as tranylcypromine. Pretty much every mental health specialist is adamant that certain medicinal drugs are more beneficial than others – even though, they almost never have the same opinion on which ones are more efficient.

Two commonly used medicinal drugs employed to minimize depression symptoms are SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and SNRIs (Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors). So what are these particular drugs and precisely what are their side effects?

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

SSRIs have a low risk and are productive regarding relieving depression for most people; it is for this reason that many doctors start depression treatment by prescribing a SSRI. Nevertheless, like scores of antidepressants, they can trigger sexual side effects — most typical is the inability to achieve orgasm in women as well as delayed ejaculation in men. They include- Citalopram (Celexa), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly, and Sarafem), Fluvoxamine (Luvox, Luvox CR), Paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva) and Sertraline (Zoloft).

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors are also generally prescribed. They include:

• Venlafaxine (Effexor XR). When everything else seems to have failed, Venlafaxine could be the remedy. It then again has side effects much like those correlated with SSRI. It can increase blood pressure levels not to mention an overdose would be harmful and even lethal.

• Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq). Desvenlafaxine is similar to venlafaxine and causes similar side effects. Studies haven’t proven any advantage to desvenlafaxine over venlafaxine, and since venlafaxine is available in a generic form, it’s a more affordable option.

• Duloxetine (Cymbalta). Duloxetine may help relieve physical pain in addition to depression — but it isn’t clear yet whether it works better than other antidepressants for pain relief. Duloxetine can cause some side effects. Nausea, dry mouth, and constipation are particularly common. You shouldn’t take duloxetine if you’re a heavy drinker, or you have certain liver or kidney problems.

Always remember that antidepressant drugs may make you feel better, but there are risks that you can minimize if you consider using other means. Again, the point of this article is not to stop you from using these drugs, but rather to encourage you also to bear in mind other alternatives.